


fire, sunflower, sun and star, moon and stars, moon and sun

by andromeda84



Series: Sweet/Bitter [1]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Detectives, F/F, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Law Enforcement, Multi, Parent/Child Incest, Romantic Soulmates, Sibling Incest, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Threesome - F/M/M, Underage Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:29:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23965417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andromeda84/pseuds/andromeda84
Summary: Elisabeth is born with five soulmarks on her skin, but she learns they don't always mean happiness, until the moment they could.
Relationships: Eliza Eckheart/Albert Eckheart, Eliza Eckheart/Felix Eckheart, Eliza Eckheart/Grayson Reynolds, Eliza Eckheart/Ian Blacksmith, Eliza Eckheart/Justin Cho, Ian Blacksmith/Grayson Reynolds, Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: Sweet/Bitter [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727809
Kudos: 2





	fire, sunflower, sun and star, moon and stars, moon and sun

**Author's Note:**

> This is an au of my own unpublished original work, so it might not make as much sense to you as it does to me, but it's worth reading.
> 
> I wrote this as a writing exercise, planning and expecting to learn more about my characters. I kind of did, yes, but also learned a thing about myself in this, so...
> 
> *also, it's imported from my old account

Felix Eckheart is born with a mark of fire below his left rib.

Fire is a common mark between the Eckhearts and he is an Eckheart through and through, and they all burn like fire, their love for their family is like fire.

Felix is seven when his brother, Albert is born.

Albert Eckheart is born with the same mark of the fire below his left rib like his brother.

Ian Blacksmith is born with no mark on his skin.

Grayson Reynolds is born to Jeffrey and Charlotte in New York City, with no mark on his skin.

Justin Cho is born to a loving family with no mark on his skin.

Felix is eleven, Albert is four, Ian is three, Grayson is one year and few months old and Justin is few months old when Elisabeth Eckheart is born.

She is born with five marks on her skin.

A mark of fire below her left rib, a sunflower mark on her shoulder, a mark of the sun and the star on her wrist, a mark of moon and star enveloped together on where her heart is, and a mark of moon and sun together close to her hipbone.

Four year old Albert screams in pain, a mark of moon and star enveloped together on where his heart is appearing.

Three year old Ian screams in pain as well, a mark of the moon and sun appears near his hipbone.

One year old Grayson screams and cries in pain as a mark of sun and star appears on his wrist.

Justin screams in pain as a sunflower mark appears on his shoulder.

* * *

Felix runs away from his family, despite his mark burning like real fire as he does so.

Vater hurts and keeps coming into Elisabeth's room despite her multiple marks.

Albert finds himself unable to protect his sister, but the shared mark only brings them closer, close as brothers should not be with sisters. He still leaves Elisabeth alone in that town, going after his ambition and greed, unable to love his sister as much as she loves him.

Ian's father abuses him, and his mother still leaves him and he grows up unable to love in his mind.

Grayson still doesn't believe in soulmarks, he still dates around without getting attached, despite having one and despite his parents sharing one.

Justin's grandparents still makes him feel as if will never find his soulmate.

* * *

Vater and mother make her hide her other marks, and she gets rather good at covering them with special make up.

She looks at the marks, when Vater leaves her room during the night, before Albert comes.

Her marks are comforting, making her hope that she has three soulmates in the cruel world.

She thinks to herself, perhaps the world is not as cruel if it gave her three other marks on her body, and those marks mean opportunities for love and happiness.

Albert, _her dear Al..._ he comes into her room and she forgets about those three soulmarks, only thinking about their fire, moon and stars enveloped together, like they are.

Fire in their touches, only comforting and possible as moon and stars appear and Vater leaves her room.

Albert leaves her alone with their mother, her dear Al abandons her like Felix did.

_Al's marks on her body burn for months after he leaves her._

She finds comfort in men and sometimes boys, in Carla's gentle words and touches.

* * *

She becomes friends with Justin, and she likes him, truly _likes_ him.

She develops feelings for him, her sweet and kind and nerdy Justin.

He sees her mark, the one on her shoulder, during one of the hot spring days when she forgot to hide her marks.

"We have the same mark." She looks at him, bewildered. "The one on your shoulder, a sunflower. I have the same one."

He's happy and she pulls him in a kiss, a smile of hope slowly appearing on her lips.

They continue kissing, but her sweet Justin is a gentleman, even when she tells him it's alright.

They are _soulmates_ , after all, she doesn't understand why he doesn't wish to do more than kissing.

But she lets him, _her sweet Justin_ , for she has finally found her third soulmate.

  
  


She hasn't known love other than what Vater and Al gave her, remembers some short glimpses of Felix's love, and she doesn't think her mother's love exists anymore.

She goes on and sleeps with other men, her soulmark nothing compared to what she needs and those needs Justin doesn't want to satisfy.

In the end, she learns having a soulmark doesn't mean you will love someone as much as they love you, or that you will love them at all.

* * *

  
  


Her sweet Justin, his love and their shared soulmark is almost enough to keep her in that town.

But her grandmother advises her. "Your beauty shouldn't be wasted on silly soulmarks and silly young love. These marks, they don't mean shit in the real world. That silly teenage boy, he doesn't deserve you. He didn't deserve to ruin your body, to have his mark on your beauty."

"You're wrong. I didn't deserve _him_ , gramma." She says, a sorrowful look on her face.

  
  


She hurts her sweet Justin, uses him and doesn't give anything in return.

All she knows are the trades of the body, and nothing about the trades of the feelings.

She doesn't want to regret anything, and so she leaves gramma's house, and goes to Justin.

She sleeps with him, tender and sweet touches and something like love exchanged.

That moment, looking in his kind eyes as he searches for her consent, for what _she_ wants, it's _nearly_ enough to make her stay.

But the soulmark doesn't make her feel the warmth and the fire she so desperately seeks, so she thinks, _it must not have been true as it should have been._

  
  


But she leaves, leaves her sweet Justin and she leaves Carla who doesn't want to speak with her ever again, her mother and her home.

She leaves it all behind and moves to New York, searching for a better life, for something else.

She starts going by Eliza, nicknames Betty and Lizzie only bringing pain and memories she wants to forget.

  
  


She finds her soulmark burning, that sunflower mark Justin shares two months later, and she realizes, she loved him.

_She loves him, she loves her sweet Justin, she always had._

It nearly makes her return to that town, but she learns he's in college now, she investigates him and he looks happy.

He has friends, and that girl with him in the picture looks pretty and pretty smitten by him.

He's happy, that's what matters, and she lets him go.

_She has other marks on her body._

Justin's mark starts slowly fading as months pass, but it never fades completely away, still a faint shape of the sunflower on her shoulder.

* * *

She finishes police academy and starts her probation as a rookie.

She meets Lt. Reynolds, a handsome man.

They start an affair, she becomes good friends with his wife.

She meets Ian Blacksmith, an investigative journalist, who becomes a suspect in serial killings. There's something about him, something pulling her towards him like a magnet.

The way he looks at her, as if he sees _the real_ _her_ , the good, the bad and the ugly too.

She's a rookie, so she can't get closer to his case to investigate him further.

She meets Jeff and Charlotte's son, Grayson, during the dinner Charlotte begs her to come.

He doesn't bother covering his soulmark. It's on his wrist, a mark of sun and a star. _Her mark._

He has her mark, and she's having an affair with his father.

She ends up going with Grayson to his dorm room, fucked hard by him. He doesn't notice her marks, since she covers them incredibly well.

She continues having an affair with Jeff, as she continues to meet up with Grayson.

Grayson doesn't believe in soulmarks, is the first thing she learns about him.

He makes her feel _alive_ , he makes her feel _young and wild and free,_ like a girl her age is supposed to feel and act.

She goes to festivals and frat parties and she goes to have the time of her life in numerous clubs, she meets other college students and Grayson's friends.

She's young, and she's kind of happy and free, with Grayson.

But she's warm, safe and needed and she offers Jeff what he wants and needs, she pleases Jeff.

Eliza was always a people pleaser, after all. She needed that to feel happy, to finally be warm.

Affairs are never meant to last long, she has learned that when she was fourteen.

Detective White finds out about them, and it sends Jeff into questioning their relationship. He tells his wife, Charlotte.

Grayson doesn't even bother to say they're done, only comes to pick his drunk mother off her couch and threatens that she never comes near her again.

It makes that soulmark, his soulmark on her wrist hurt.

She isn't sure if he felt is as well. Probably not.

He does feel it too. He doesn't realize it, but he feels the soulmark hurt.

* * *

She's transferred to another precinct, paired with a detective nobody wants to work with.

As she is a rookie, whose probation is quite rocky after the scandal, so she becomes his partner.

Detective Prescott is a tough cookie to crack for her. Stern man who rarely talks, but his eyes are kind and those blue eyes look into hers as if they see right through her act.

He has more than one soulmark too. He has four soulmarks and he's good at covering them as well.

The moment they share their soulmarks, when they tell each other about them, it is a moving point in their partnership, and well, friendship.

Detective Prescott - Richard - takes over a serial killer case from her former precinct. She helps, but he's the one who manages to completely take it.

The killer kills twice on their place of jurisdiction.

They take Ian Blacksmith in for questioning, and Richard agrees with her that he's the killer.

But Ian is very charming, and she sort of enjoys how he makes her feel.

* * *

Felix, _her handsome, strong Felix_ , comes to New York.

Fate brings them together, and they enjoys the Eckheart blood holding fire for as much as they can, knowing it's wrong.

But he has to leave, for her sake, for his sake, for the sake of their lives and their careers.

* * *

Albert, _her dear Al_ , came to New York, too. She makes him leave New York, leave her as he did years ago.

He does some awful, wicked things, and it pains her, their shared mark on her heart burns and scars, but she makes him leave, holding him to the gunpoint, tears streaming down her face.

* * *

She can talk to Ian about the things she's done, dark things, that she isn't sure Richard would understand.

Ian _understands_ , he sees the good and the bad and ugly sides in her, he _understands_ and he _likes her_ for all of those sides.

They don't meet often, but she seeks him out when she feels she needs him.

He tells her about his soulmark.

"It's on my hipbone, close to it, uh, a moon and sun, together." She gets up, something cold and pressing on her heart.

"Go to hell."

"I'm sorry?" He looks at her, a question mark all over his face.

"How did you manage to find out about my mark? Whatever game of manipulation you thought you are playing with me ends right now, Ian." He looks at her, the questioning look not leaving his face, but there's concern showing in his eyes.

He gets up so he's eye to eye with her, his fingers slowly lingering over hers in order to comfort her. "What mark, what game? Elisabeth, what's going on?" It pulls her to reality, and she looks at him, determination clear on her face.

"Show me. Show me your mark." He searches her eyes, but he sees there's million thoughts going through her head, so he nods, doing as she ordered him.

He reveals the mark, and her touch lingers over it, before she touches it.

He lets out a quiet hiss, the touch slowly burning.

"It feels so real. How did you make it feel, look so real?" She looks at him and his mark, eyes travelling from one to another in bewilderment.

"Elisabeth, I've had this mark on my skin since I was three. My parents, mostly my mother... they tried to burn it, cut it to remove it. It never went away."

"Stop _lying_." Eliza says, voice shaky and breathless, tears forming in her eyes.

"Elisabeth, talk to me." He says, going in to cradle her head.

His touch is electric, warm, light and heavy at the same time.

He gets her to look him in the eyes, blue eyes staring into brown eyes, calming her down.

"I have the same mark." She breathes out and he flinches away slightly, but his hands are still cradling her head, not daring to move.

"Shit."

"Yeah. _Shit_." She says, nodding and looking away, looking anywhere but at where he is.

He repeats himself.

"I... I, uh, I think I'm going to go." She says, going in to take her purse.

"You're seriously planning on running away right now?" He asks, arms crossed, disbelief in his voice.

"I'm not running away-" Eliza starts defending herself.

"No, you're just leaving in a rush after finding out we're-" His words are sharp.

"Don't say it." She warns. "I need to go to the station, my shift starts soon. Since I _am_ a police officer and all that, or did you forget what _this_ is all about?"

"You're avoiding the topic, great move. Also, get some better excuses."

"You're a serial killer." She says, tone neutral.

"Are you accusing me or stating your facts now? Because neither changes what just happened."

"Nothing _happened_ , Ian. I'll see you when you kill someone again." She says, going in to open the door.

"You're running away." He says again.

"I'm walking away, there's a difference." She says, walking out of his apartment, not bothering to close the door.

"You're avoiding the subject and you're running away, with lame excuses." He says, going after her, keeping the distance.

"I have a murder to solve and a career to keep." She says, walking and not bothering to turn around to say it to his face.

"Are you saying that as an excuse to run away now or in general after this?" He asks.

"Does it matter? The sentiment stays the same." For this, she decides to turn and look at him, but soon turns back and continues walking.

"You're still running away."

"Stop saying that!" She outbursts.

"Then stop running away." He retorts back, catching up to her, gently grabbing her fingers with his.

"What? I'm going to be late."

"No you won't." He says, his voice soft. He looks into her eyes, a sign of understanding shared in their look. "It's _alright_ , Elisabeth. Hey, look at me." She listens to him, reluctant. "Don't run away, not until we talk it out."

She pulls him closer into the building, closer to her, pulling him in a hard and quick, but chaste kiss.

Their breathing is shallow, her hands are still gripping his shirt, their eyes are still closed, not daring to open them, to face each other. His lips are starting to quirk in a small smile.

"Don't run away _now_ , either." She chuckles slightly. They open their eyes, sharing a meaningful look. She lightly shakes her head. "Fuck, Elisabeth." She pulls him in another kiss, deepening it this time, as his hands go to wrap around her waist.

"Your mark-" She says, when they stop to catch their breaths.

He nods. "It slightly burns, but in a good way." She nods too. They kiss again for a short time.

"You're going to run away now, aren't you?" She nods at his question, mouthing yeah, and walking away from him." You know where you can find me."

* * *

Two weeks pass when she appears on his doorstep. He opens the door, leaning against it, arms crossed.

"Are you finally done with running away?" He asks.

"Richard said something, about how... Every soulmark you have, you can meet them and be with them at the same time, it doesn't mean it's supposed to be that way, that it is right." He nudges her to continue, head slightly titled. "I have five soulmarks. You were the last one I met. I'll tell you, about them. That's as far as I'm willing to go."

He takes a good look at her, and nods, letting her come in.

She sits on his couch and he follows her lead.

"I always cover them, you can't even see them. My brothers and I, my family, our soulmark is fire, below our left rib. There's moon and stars close to my chest, it's Albert's. I have one on my shoulder, a sunflower, which is faint by now, it belongs to a boy I loved in high school. Another one, sun and star on my wrist, it belongs to Lt. Reynolds's son." He raises an eyebrow at that, curious. "Then there's yours." She says and finally looks at him.

"Moon and sun on your hipbone." He states and she nods.

"I broke Justin's heart, I ruined the Reynolds family, I made both of my brothers run away." Her voice is gentle, sorrowful.

"Which one do you miss the most? Whose mark burned the most?"

"What makes you think you _deserve_ to know that?" She asks, her tone sharp.

"I'm not asking because of me. Is there someone you'd want to meet again, to make things right, to be with them again?" He asks.

"Why does it interest you?"

"I'm a journalist, remember? We chase after a good story. I can help you find either of them, help you get back with them." She laughs.

"A serial killer wants to help me return to my soulmarks? You should switch to writing, preferably comedies."

"You're my soulmark. I wrote many articles about those in my internship days. I know how it works."

"Grayson. Justin. I don't think I want to get involved with my brothers again."

"Alright. Which one are we going to visit first?" He gets up to take his laptop.

"Neither. We, or us separately, aren't going to visit them or contact them." She says, her tone ready for an argument.

"Do you want to see them again? Do you want to be with them again? Do you need to do that?" He asks, getting her to look him in the eyes.

"Why? So I can be with you? You think me getting closure would open up a spot for you?"

"You should know this by now. I want you to do what you want to do." He holds eye contact, his face serious.

She pulls him in a kiss again, nodding.

"Grayson. He's in New York. I want him first. And besides, Richard and Todd aren't going to let me take vacation days during these busy times."

"I could kidnap you." He offers and she chuckles lightly. "Alright, Grayson Reynolds. I'll get into researching." He says, moving away.

"Don't bother, I know where he lives." She pulls him back.

"Of course you do." They kiss again, a smile dancing on both of their lips.

The kiss deepens, growing more heated as their hands start to wonder, exploring. Ian pulls away from the kiss.

"We can stop."

"Who said I wanted to stop?" She retorts, playfulness obvious in her voice.

"Say it." His voice is serious, nearly pleading. She nods. "Elisabeth, _say it._ " His fingers caress her cheek, going to trail the outline of her collarbone as his mouth moves to her neck, lips grazing the skin.

" _Ian_..." She moans.

"Yes?"

"I _want_ this. I need _you_ , please." She begs.

"Promise?" His tone is serious, his words full of meaning behind them. She nods, pulling him in another kiss, moaning into it as his fingers slip inside her.

* * *

"What do you use to cover them so well? I was never able to cover mine that well, there was always an outline."

They're in his bed, their naked bodies barely covered by the sheets and his touch lingers over her body.

"Special cosmetics used in theater and movies. I've gotten quite good at covering it with regular makeup too, but these cosmetics last far longer and are way more effective." He nods.

"I can hear your thoughts. I'm not going to ask you to show them to me. If you want to do it, when you're ready, it's on your terms.

"For a serial killer you're very concerned with my consent." She teases and he rolls his eyes.

"It's because I want you to be yourself, to be _Elisabeth_ , with me. That comes with consent."

"Again, how are you capable of being like _this_ and committing crimes like _that_ is beyond me." She says, and he chuckles, and they fall into silence again, until she speaks up. "I'm not ready to face Grayson yet." He nods.

* * *

They continue for two months.

"I didn't cover them up today." She says, leaning against his doorframe, a weighty tone to her voice.

He nods, moving away from the door so she can come in. "Alright. Come in." She smiles, pulling him in a deep kiss. "Fuck." He says, pulling away, as she's taking his shirt off and fondling with his belt.

"Elisabeth, tell me. Tell me what you need me to do." They share a look.

"Make yours the only one that counts now." He nods and then they're kissing again.

He takes his time, kissing every inch of her body, except the other soulmarks, the one they share being the only one he gives special attention to.

* * *

"I want to see him again." She says. This time, they're in her apartment, on her couch. "Grayson." She says, for clarification.

"Alright. When?"

"Now." He raises his eyebrows at that, but nods, slightly amused. "Alright. We're going to meet your other soulmark." He takes his jacket and nudges her to move, to state her decision again.

"Lets do it."

They go Grayson's college campus, watching students pass by, trying to find him in the crowd.

"He's still in college?"

"Yes. He took a gap year, then switched from politics and economics to architecture after two years." Eliza explains but Ian still looks at her with his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"It doesn't explain why he's still in college. He should've been done by now. Or is he simply enjoying the frat boy lifestyle?"

"He's finishing his Master's degree."

"Ah." Eliza nods, searching the crowd. "I think I can see him." Ian says, going to talk to him.

Ian stumbles into Grayson, nearly knocking the blond guy down, making him spill his coffee.

"Hey, watch yourself." Grayson says, irritated, looking at the coffee stain on his shirt.

"Shit, sorry man, I was lost in my thougths, I wasn't watching." Ian apologizes, and the two of them meet eyes.

"Ah, it's fine. Don't worry." Grayson says.

"No, it's my fault, here, hold on, I'll pay for the dry cleaning or-"

"Seriously, it's fine."

"Please. My dad's loaded and an ass, so I'm looking to spend his money anywhere I can. Alright, fine, no dry cleaning, but I'm gonna get you another coffee, deal? I need my caffeine shot." Grayson looks Ian up and down, but nods.

"Why the hell not? It's not as if I have many friends left anymore. Oh, I forgot. I'm Grayson."

"Ian." Ian takes Grayson's offered hand, shaking it. "So, what's up with your friends?"

The two of them make small talk as they walk to the small coffee shop.

"That's a cool soulmark you have there." Ian says, and Grayson looks at his wrist, trying to hide it.

"Uh, look, I don't know what you're trying to do, but I'm not gay, so..."

"Yeah, me neither, don't worry. But we did sleep with the same girl..." Ian winks, but he's not exactly looking at Grayson, which makes him turn around and come face to face with Eliza.

"Hey Grayson." She says, voice breathy, her lips offering a small smile.

"The fuck is going on?" Grayson asks, standing between Ian and Eliza, his eyes wondering from one to another of the figures.

"I wanted to talk to you again. I... I have something to tell you, actually." She says, slightly fidgeting.

"You cheated on me with my own father, you nearly ruined my parents's marriage." Grayson's tone is mean. "I don't care for whatever you have to say. So you and your..." He looks over to Ian. "Boyfriend, I guess, can leave me alone." Grayson says and starts to walk away, but Ian stops him, putting a hand over his chest and sighing.

"Trust me, you're going to want to hear what she has to say." Ian says and Grayson shoots him a dirty look.

"I suggest you move your hand or-"

"Or what, pretty rich boy?" Ian asks, stepping closer, trying to get a rise out of Grayson.

"Ian, stop. Let him go. It's his choice." Eliza says, and Ian looks at her, rolling his eyes, but he listens.

"Not if he doesn't know, it isn't." He says, facing her.

"You two are fucking perfect for each other. Two fucked up weirdos. I bet you're soulmates, huh?" Grayson says. Ian smirks at that.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you." Eliza says, her voice gentle. Grayson gives her a confused look. "Somewhere more private would be more appropriate."

"I don't know why I'm even doing this. I'll regret this." Grayson says, leading them into the building, which is almost empty, and they go into an empty class. "Alright, you got five minutes." He says. "Starting from _now_ , so hurry up."

Eliza takes a deep breath, looking for a moment at Ian, then focusing her attention towards Grayson.

She takes few steps towards him, her fingers going to his hands, leaving a soft, lingering touch.

"You have a soulmark on your wrist of sun and a star, together." Grayson looks at her, confused. "It's best if I show you." Eliza says, entwining their hands together, so their wrists, their soulmarks are facing.

"Fuck." Grayson hisses in pain over the slight burning, and Eliza lets out a short moan in pain as well.

Eliza catches Grayson's look, seeing the shock, but also a question in his eyes and she nods. Her free hand goes to his neck, her touch shy, and she looks at him.

Grayson leans in, and Eliza captures his lips in a tentative, soft, chaste kiss. He leans in again, this time the kiss lasting longer.

"What's _his_ deal, then?" Grayson asks, looking at Ian, who is looking at his shoes as if they're the most interesting thing the world, his arms crossed.

Eliza looks at Ian. "He's my other soulmark."

Grayson raises an eyebrow. "How many do you have?"

"Five overall." Grayson's look captures his thoughts perfectly.

"So... What now?" Grayson asks, looking at Eliza.

"Whatever you want. I'm fine with whatever you choose." Eliza says. Grayson pulls her in an open mouthed kiss.

"My dorm." He says and Eliza nods, looking over to see Ian.

"I'll see you later, then." Ian says.

* * *

It's been five weeks since Eliza told Grayson.

She's been meeting up with both of them, Grayson and Ian.

They're both in her apartment now, staring at each other, confused, when she walks in, cheerful.

"Guess who finally got some vacation days?" She asks, holding the paper in her hand.

Ian raises his eyebrow, in a question. She nods.

"Pack your bags, boys, 'cause we're going to San Francisco." Eliza says with a wide smile, her Southern accent becoming thicker.

"Aren't you from Nebraska?" Grayson asks.

"I am, but... we're going to visit my other soulmate, who lives in San Francisco now. Come on, lets go, I don't want to waste any time, which was a bitch to get, by the way." She says, hurrying them up, going into her bedroom.

Grayson looks at Ian, mouthing, what is going on, and Ian smirks at him, clasping a hand on Grayson's shoulder. "We're going to give her closure. This is important for her, that's all there is to know, until she decides to tell you."

"Also, we're going by car. We're so road tripping this thing." Eliza yells from her bedroom as the rustling is heard.

"She's beautiful when she's excited, isn't she?" Ian asks and Grayson nods.

"Do you know how to drive?" Grayson asks.

"Yeah, you?"

"Yes. Do you have a car?" Grayson asks.

"Sure. You?"

"Sure." Grayson reflects Ian's words.

"Look, you don't have to like me, or enjoy being in my presence. We're both doing _this_ for _her_. _Alright_?" They share a look and Grayson nods, shaking Ian's hand.

" _Alright_."

"We're going to have so much fun!" Eliza says, pressing a quick kiss on each of their cheeks.

They look after her, not able to hide their smiles for how excited she is, but nodding uncomfortably to each other in a silent agreement.

* * *

The road trip goes well, as any road trip does.

But Eliza is a bright spot in it, her happiness and cheerfulness making it less uncomfortable for Grayson and Ian.

They reach San Francisco. Grayson parks the car on the parking lot of Justin's address.

"I want to do this alone." Eliza says to them. Grayson and Ian share a look, but nod and she kisses their cheeks quickly, offering them a smile before she gets out of the car.

She goes to his apartment, rings the bell, fidgeting nervously before they open.

"Lizzie?" Justin asks and Eliza looks up, smiling.

"Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you again. Talk to you. I missed you, Justin." She says, her words honest. He looks her up and down, before nodding and letting her in.

* * *

Grayson and Ian are standing outside the car, stretching their legs.

"How do you think it's going?" Grayson asks.

"I honestly have no idea." Ian shrugs.

"Do you think she's going to sleep with him?" Grayson wonders out loud. Ian thinks for few moments before answering.

"Possibly, yeah."

Eliza walks to the car, her face neutral, and goes so sit on the backseat.

"I think it's best if we don't bother her now." Ian says and Grayson nods, agreeing.

Ian sits in the driver's seat, starting the car, and Grayson sits next to him.

They drive in silence. Eliza's looking out of the window, lost in her thoughts, as Grayson and Ian check up on her from the rear-view mirror.

Ian drives them to the hotel, they get a hotel room and Eliza gets into the shower immediately.

Grayson and Ian start unpacking their bags.

Eliza comes out of the bathroom, dressed in one of her signature white dresses

"I'm going out, don't bother waiting for me." She says, taking her purse with her and closes the door with brute force.

Grayson looks at Ian. "Should we follow her?"

"Morally speaking or just..."

"You're literally a serial killer, given my father's files. What's _morality_ got to do with anything you do?" Grayson deadpans.

"Touché. Alright, lets go, but we don't want to be too suspicious." Ian says.

They follow her to a restaurant, watching her greet Justin.

"This feels like a stakeout." Grayson says.

"We don't have any doughnuts, so no, it isn't." Grayson shoots him a dirty look.

"When we see her get out of the restaurant and if they part, we hurry the fuck up to the hotel, got it?"

"My thoughts exactly." Ian agrees.

They sit in silence, music on the radio making it slightly less uncomfortable.

"Do you think she's going to ask for a threesome, with us?" Grayson asks.

"Do you have something to tell me, Reynolds?"

"Ugh, _fuck no,_ I'm straight. You were the one who was all over me the first time we met. No, I'm just wondering, how are we going to let her down without hurting her feelings?"

"We tell her we don't want to?" Grayson raises an eyebrow at that.

"And when she gives us those puppy eyes?"

" _Huh_. Yeah, _shit_. Nothing, we're gonna have a threesome then. Or a foursome, by the looks of it." Grayson follows Ian's look and sees Eliza with Justin.

"That was quick." Ian hums in agreement.

Eliza has a gentle look on her face, a soft smile full of hidden sadness. Justin gives her a slow peck on the cheek and whispers something in her ear before they go on their separate ways.

"That piece of shit is seriously leaving her alone?" Grayson asks, enraged.

"No, look, he's in his car, giving her a ride." Ian notices and Grayson feels instant relief.

"Oh thank god. _Fuck_ , Blacksmith, start the car."

"Oh, shit, yeah." Ian starts the car, driving as fast as he could.

They come to the hotel room before Eliza does and try to act casually when she opens the door.

They turn around to face her and they see her leaning against the door, trying to hold her tears.

Both men go to comfort her.

"I don't want to feel other marks. Make it go _away_ , make yours the only ones that burn right. _Please_." She asks them, begs them, looking at the space between the two men, closing her eyes, taking in deep breaths.

Ian and Grayson share a look, but nod slightly.

They take another step towards her.

Ian goes in to press a light kiss on her neck, as Grayson goes in to press a light kiss close to her ear.

She lets out a small moan, pulling them both _closer_.

**Author's Note:**

> I have found two new ships. An unexpected one in the form of Grayson/Ian, and an OT3 in the form of Grayson/Eliza/Ian.
> 
> Doubtful the OT3 will happen in my canon, but outside of it, who knows. I might write something else for them. Really get into what happened on the road trips, you know?
> 
> P.S. Please fill this out, help me get out of my writer's block, I'd be very thankful: https://forms.gle/WecsqyTQC8P72xRy8


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